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Thursday, July 19, 2001

PEDC accepts donation of Smithers' test facility

By JENNIFER GALVANStaff WriterPECOS, Thurs., July 19, 2001 -- The Pecos Economic Development Corp.
accepted the donation of the Smithers Automotive Testing Center by the
Ohio-based company, during a special meeting held this morning on the second
floor of the Security State Bank building.

The 5,800-acre tire and automotive testing complex was closed in May
because of an inadequate business volume over the last several years, which
adversely impacted operations, Smithers said. It held an auction in late
June of surplus items at the center, located 20 miles east of Pecos, at
relocated its operations to the Laredo area, where it is working with a
subsidiary of DaimlerChrysler that operates that test track.

In a press release sent out by Smithers this morning, President of the
PEDC, Gari Ward said that he welcomed the donation made to them by Smithers.

"We are delighted that Smithers agreed to give us this land and the
opportunity to utilize its resources for the betterment of this community,"
Ward said. "Those resources included access to the existing water system
on the land for possible use by the town of Pecos City and Reeves County,
Texas."

Smithers President and CEO, J. Michael Hochschwender, said that he was
glad the land would still be used to help the area. "We are pleased that
this facility may still be used for the benefit of the Pecos community,"
he said.

Though there are still some points to negotiate, the PEDC board approved
the appointment of Ward to negotiate the contract.

While the donation of the property will open up the area for possible
use by the Town of Pecos City and Reeves County for an underground water
field, it will also take the 5,800-acre site off the local property tax
rolls. As of now the land has not been taken off the tax roll, but Ward
said that that will happen when a contract is approved.

Chairman Oscar Saenz agreed with Ward in said that the donation would
be good for Pecos.

"It is a good deal for Pecos and Reeves County," Saenz said.

Smithers took over the test track in 1988, after the Uniroyal tire company
relocated its operations to Laredo following their merger with B.F. Goodrich.
Akron, Ohio-based Smithers employed several hundred people over the past
decade, though the number of jobs at the site had dropped sharply in recent
years.

The test track the company is moving to is the same one Uniroyal/Goodrich
had their operations at, until they relocated their tire testing operations
from Laredo to Mexico in the late 1990s.

In other action, PEDC board members approved purchase of the P.C.S.
Phosphate property, which totals 13.89 acres and is located off Business
I-20 located west of Pecos. Purchase price for the property was listed
at $5,000.

Unemployment for county, city rose in June

By JON FULBRIGHTStaff WriterPECOS, Thurs., July 19, 2001 -- The workforce numbers were down and
the number of people without jobs was up last month, as Reeves County's
unemployment level rose by 1½ percent in June, according to figures
released today by the Texas Workforce Commission.

The county's jobless rate, which sank to its lowest level since the
1980s in May, climbed back from 5.6 to 7.1 percent in June, according to
the TWC. The higher unemployment rate was the same in almost every county
in the Permian Basin and is normal for June, since it is the first month
after the end of high school and college semesters, which normally raises
the jobless rate, both due to students entering the workforce and the lower
number of school-related jobs, which are part of the government/public
employment sector.

However, June usually shows an increase in the local labor force, which
wasn't the case last month. The TWC figures show Reeves County's workforce
declined by 235 people last month, while the total number of jobless jumped
by 97, from 417 to 514.

Still, the 7.1 percent jobless rate is the lowest in Reeves County for
the month of June in over a decade. The last time the county's June unemployment
rate was below 10 percent was in 1990, when the rate was 9.0 percent, and
the jobless rate was as high at 16.2 percent in 1992, 14.3 percent in 1993
and 13.5 percent as recently as June of 1999.

Unemployment in Pecos was up by 1.8 percent last month, according to
the TWC, from 6.3 to 8.1 percent. The workforce in the city dropped by
164, while the number of jobs in Pecos fell by 254, to 5,206. Like Reeves
County, the city's 8.1 percent rate is the lowest for the month of June
since the oil boom of the 1980s.

Overall joblessness in the Permian Basin climbed 1.1 percent in June,
from 4.1 to 5.2 percent. Midland County, with the area's largest labor
force, saw its jobless rate rise by half a percent, to 3.8 percent, while
the number of people without jobs in Ector County (Odessa) grew by over
1,000 last month, raising its jobless rate from 4.7 to 6.3 percent.

Midland and Ector counties, along with most other are counties, did
see their labor forces increase in June, which was part of the reason for
the rise in the jobless rate. And the TWC report said, "The jump in unemployment
in June is a seasonal pattern that has been seen every year since 1990
… Since June 2000, employment is the Permian Basin WDA (Workforce Development
Area) has increased by 38,32 workers. Continued claims for unemployment
insurance have decreased 17.3 percent, or 288 claims, since June 2000."

Loving County, the nation's least populated county, added three people
to both its workforce and unemployment list. With only 50 people in the
labor force, that increased the jobless rate from 8.5 to 14 percent.

Brewster County continues to have the area's lowest jobless rate, at
2.3 percent, which is up from 1.9 percent in May, while neighboring Presidio
County continues to have the state's highest jobless rate. It climbed from
20.4 to 25.1 percent last month, though today's bad news was offset by
the announcement of a new factory, which will be built in Presidio.

MIC Group, Inc. plans to build the 20,000 square-foot facility that
will employ about 100 workers. The company is owned by J.B. Poindexter
and Co., whose owner, John Poindexter, also owns the Cibolo Creek Ranch
north of Presidio, according to a press release by West Texas Utilities,
which helped arrange the construction of the parts manufacturing plant.

Churches prepare for VBS activities starting Monday

By PEGGY McCRACKENStaff WriterPECOS, Thurs., July 19, 2001 -- Children from preschool age through
junior high school will be learning lessons next week, when they travel
to West Park Baptist Church for the annual Vacation Bible School.

Rey Carreon, pastor, said he looks forward to seeing students who have
attended before and others who will be making their first trip to the church
at Sixth and Eddy Streets.

"Four churches have pooled their talents for this special event," said
Carreon. "Teachers from Calvary Baptist, St. James and House of Prayer
will join the West Park team for the best-ever VBS. We expect to have children
from all over town come for the morning sessions."

Early birds may arrive as early as 8 a.m. to watch a Bible story video,
he said. At 8:30, the children will march into the auditorium behind the
American and Christian flags and the Bible to sing, pray and pledge allegiance
to the flags and Bible.

"We also have a video that will introduce the theme for each day's Bible
study," Carreon said. "It is set in Egypt, where the children of Israel
began their journey to the Promised Land. Enroute they received the 10
commandments from God, and we will be seeking the secret of those stone
tablets."

Registration begins at 8 a.m. on the church lawn, led by Ruth Rasberry
and Selma Carrell. Classes end at 11:30 a.m., but children of working parents
will have supervision until they are picked up.

"VBS is one of the most exciting events of the church year," Carreon
said. "I encourage parents to see that their children do not miss this
opportunity to learn more about our creator and Lord."

Pistol match set Saturday at local range

PECOS, Thurs., July 19, 2001 -- A Defensive Pistol Match will be held Saturday
starting at 8:00 a.m. at the Pecos Rifle and Pistol Club Range south of
Maxey Park.

Contestants will need a revolver of semi-auto pistol, enough magazines
or speed loaders to shoot 18 rounds during timed events, and a holster.
The match will be modeled after the regular International Defensive Pistol
Association match.

For more information contact Mike Mason at 447-6157 or Smokey Briggs
at 445-5475.